


Equal and Opposite Reactions

by althus



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-22
Updated: 2015-04-25
Packaged: 2018-03-19 00:00:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3588801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/althus/pseuds/althus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Water Tribes invade the United Republic, and Korra serves as a foot soldier eager to prove herself on her first campaign.</p>
<p>"Korra hears each beat of her heart in the blood pulsing through her ears. <em>Blood that could soon be splattered across the ground. No! Those are not the thoughts to be having at this point.</em> The ten minutes slip by like a forgotten dream. <em>Now or never.</em>"</p>
<p>Viking influenced AU without bending and more warlike Water Tribes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Raid

**Author's Note:**

> Rated for violence, language, and references to sexual assault.

Prologue

The blood of a new generation yearns for glory and plunder.

Hundred Year War veterans have pumped the blood and filled the lungs of the last three generations. Passionate youths welcome all challenges and broad shouldered leaders dream of bringing paradise to the furthest depths of the human realm. Built upon a century of grief, the survivors' force of will carves the fact of their power into the fabric of life as inherent as the sun on a muggy summer day. For seventy years, they burn brightly, but must dim back into ashes as all other mortals. Living on only as memories given lip service or as a few remaining grey haired counselors, their trembling grasp can no longer rein in the destiny of the nations.

The blood of a new generation yearns for the warm clink of gold and their triumphs to be etched in bawdy song.

Chief Unalaq raises the banner of war to call all true warriors from the North and South. The hunters emerge from the tundra hungry to drown the lands in blood as their ancestors once did. Fleets gleaming with sharpened steel descend upon Republic City.

 

Chapter 1: The Raid

Korra strains her eyes staring into the amorphous shapes of the darkness. Somewhere beyond the torchlight's flickering edge, United Forces soldiers sharpen their blades for an inevitable greeting for these Water Tribe guests. The various Southern Water Tribe camps currently stands firm only by the grace of their force of arms. Korra's sword lies in its sheath strapped across her back. Her stretched leather shield rests snugly on her left forearm and her spear leans familiarly against the crook of her right arm.

Korra's shifts her stance and grips the spear as she... suppresses a yawn and tucks her bangs back into her helm. After sailing halfway around the world, she finds herself on night watch duty as the greenhorn of the crew. Propriety dictates that even the Southern Chief's heir prove her way up the ranks. Sparring hall trophies hold little weight on the battlefield.

She hears rustling behind her and twists around with spear raised with both hands.

"Who's there?!"

"If you're that nervous, we're not taking you along."

Korra stands slack-jawed. Her entire platoon has crept up behind her and in full armor no less. When her mind catches up after a second, she asks, "Take me along for what?"

Her captain, Harun, chuckles and keeps walking past but waves at her to follow. "We've haven't got much time until dawn, so I'll tell you en route. And don't worry about your shift. We got someone from another crew to cover. The Iron Wolves came to the United Republic for blood, not guard duty." Harun flashes a smirk as he tosses Korra a supply pack.

Korra catches the bag as the giddy realization bubbles up within her chest. She starts jogging after her comrades with a smile of her own. As the soldiers delve deeper into the woods and away from the camp's earshot, Harun raises a leather gloved hand gesturing for the troop into double time pace. The crunch of underbrush and the shuffling of armor intrude on the witching hour silence.

Korra falls into step beside Harun at the start of the column. He turns to her, "One of the scouts owes me favor. He says there's an estate ripe for the picking a few hours march to the northwest. Merchant's home. Sato, I think the name was. Filthy rich. Decent amount of private guards, but far removed from any United Forces encampments. We hit them before dawn and get back before reinforcements can catch up."

Korra nods. Adrenaline continues to course through her veins on knowing she's participating in her first raid, but her stomach starts twisting into knots. While the Water Tribes have enveloped the capital city in a besieging formation, neither side has technically initiated hostilities. Under the orders of Northern Chief Unalaq and Southern Chief Tonraq all troops have stayed their weapons during negotiations for a potential tribute payment. According to the campfire gossip, the United Republic has sent Tenzin and Tarrlok as representatives; both are native sons to the Water Tribes. Before seeing Korra off on her tour with the Iron Wolves, Tonraq expressed optimism the whole war could end without a drop of blood. An unprovoked raid could jeopardize her father and uncle's plans.

Harun's voice wakes Korra from the niggling hesitations playing through her mind. "Hey, listen, I can see that you're worried about disobeying orders from on high, especially coming from your father. Trust me, every warrior that steps into battle risks her life. In those moments, the only things worth listening to are the captain's orders and the fury in your sword arm."

Korra makes out his confident grin in the moonlight filtering through the forest canopy. "I wasn't..."

"Say the United Republic pays up. Unalaq and his nobles take the lion's share, and the crumbs get divvied up between several hundred ships. If instead, we go to war, a dozen crews will be hitting this estate first chance they get. Another split. You want to sail home without some daring act of glory?"

Korra doesn't answer and instead focuses on her footing as the column begins ascending a series of hills. The group marches for hour after hour through the darkness with the occasional clang of weapons blending into the monotony. Korra's mind drifts to the fireside stories from back home. They all held the same rhythm. Water Tribe warriors embark on a journey and grow into themselves the moment in which they bet their life against an opponent also gambling with theirs. After a lifetime of honing her body and mind for that singular moment of enlightenment,  _how could I waste the first good conflict in three generations?_

  
The platoon crouches down in a grove at the edge of the Sato estate and slakes their thirst with long draws from their waterskins. Korra delights in the nip of pre-morning chill on her skin as she removes her helm to wipe the sweat from her brow. Harun hunches forward to rest his arms on his knees and address his crew between panting breaths. "Ten minutes rest, but then we head out before the servants start waking with the sun. My squad, along with Tarook's and Karlok's, will circle around to attack the guardhouse to the south. Everyone else, go for the mansion. Stick with your squads until you've dealt with the majority of the resistance, then split off throughout the mansion. Meet up at the stables in half an hour."

Korra hears each beat of her heart in the blood pulsing through her ears.  _Blood that could soon be splattered across the ground. No! Those are not the thoughts to be having at this point._ The ten minutes slip by like a forgotten dream. _Now or never._

The main attack group stoops low behind the tall grass marking the estate's boundary. Korra's squad leader, Kurin, leans across on a tree branch to scout the guardhouse. As Harun's group moves in for the assault, she gives the signal and a wave of warriors pounce from their cover with mayhem on their minds.

Korra and her squad wait for Kurin to climb back down. Korra takes the moment to steady her breathing. The last group begins their own sprint as Kurin's boots crunch against the ground. Halfway across the field a warning gong sounds out from somewhere on the estate surely rousing the defenders to their task. With the grim reaper's ragged breath behind her ear and his scythe tightening against her neck to the point just before breaking the skin, Korra unleashes a berserker's yell, or at least her best bluff at one. The action at least helps with her nerves.

She charges into the foyer with jaws clenched. The bashed remains of the main doors lay scattered across the entrance way as the first victims of an Iron Wolves hunt. Other victims gasp desperately for their last breaths. Hardened steel feasts on the armor and flesh on offer, though not freely given. Korra sees a blur of motion out of the corner of her eye and raises up her shield to block a blow from a swordsman. With a practiced movement, she pushes back almost knocking him off balance. She simultaneously lunges forward with her spear and pierces his chest through the chainmail. His hands fumble at grabbing the shaft, but his body soon slumps to the ground.

 _My first kill_. In a peak of arrogance, she once challenged three young boys her age to a sparring match with sharpened swords. She whupped them all convincingly and that feeling of commanding superiority made the scolding from father afterward worth it. The screaming heat of the current euphoria washes out that and all the other triumphs. The elders drone on about the tradition of ice dodging, but she feels she has truly passed her generation's rite of passage. She wrenches the spear out with a sickening crunch, and the blood spurts free before dribbling out to accompany all the other pools of blood. Korra involuntarily gives out a bark of a laugh.

Metal clangs against her helmet, and Korra pivots around afraid her head is about to be cleaved open. Kurin stares back at her with ax in hand. "Keep you wits about, Korra! It's not over yet." Kurin gives out a laugh of her own, and Korra doesn't have a chance to answer before Kurin wades back into the fray.

Korra keeps her shield raised and looks for the unlucky soul of her second kill. She trades glancing strikes with a few guardsmen, but before long Harun's squads pour in through the entrance. With the accompanying war cries from these blood drenches warriors, the remaining Sato soldiers either flee or freeze in place giving the attackers the convenience of killing them on the spot.

The raiders are already splitting off. As Korra withdraws from the initial bloodshed's intoxication, her limbs numb and resist her commands. The sight of the shattered bodies begins conjuring up vomit in her throat. Korra draws a breath all the way deep down and tightens her hands into curled fists. Her mind and body steady.

Korra returns to her first victim and snatches a hunting knife from his belt. She pulls out the blade from its sheath to examine it before securing it to her own belt. Korra shuffles through the back of the foyer and up a flight of stairs. The crashing sounds of furniture give evidence to her platoon rifling through the first few rooms. Korra picks a heavy mahogany door at the end of the hall. She swings it open with one arm while the other readies to spear any one in the room.

Her eyes momentarily adjust to the dawn creeping through the windows. A Fire Nation rug spreads out across the entirety of the flagstone floor. Bookshelves of gilded tomes line the walls. A four poster bed dominates the back half of the room. Then the early morning light shimmers across an open jewelry box lounging on a vanity. Korra grins at her good fortune as she scoops up the entire case of golden necklaces, ruby rings, and jade hair clips. She shoves the box into her pack.

Korra moves over to examine the bed. _Are those real silk sheets?_ She flops onto the bed and closes her eyes. _Oh yes, they are_. She relaxes her body against the feather mattress as her body's prior numbness finds itself replaced by leaden exhaustion. Thoughts of blood are overcome by the comfort, and she's tempted to forget about the rest of the raid and hide away here for a little while. She wonders about the practicality of grabbing one of the pillows to furnish her tent. She allows herself a chuckle at the notion.

A whimper escapes from the closet in response.

Korra's body tenses up. She slips her shield and spear onto the bed and reaches behind her back as she rises from the bed. _A sword would do best in close quarters._ With her left hand, she grips the dresser handle and in her right hand she positions the sword parallel to the ground. She wrenches open the door and jumps back for space as a blade barrels toward her face.

Korra ducks into a roll and finds herself trapped with the bed against her back. The sword in her hand probably saves her life as it seems to deter the attacker from pressing forward. Korra assesses her assailant. _About my age. Maybe a year or two older._ Green eyes gaze out in a mix of fear and animal aggression. Her black locks splay out across her face. The front of her white nightgown is almost soaked through with sweat.

Both of the women continue to stare each other down with weapons in hand. Korra inches her feet into position. Impressions ingrained from her training float to the surface. _The sword has the longer reach over the dagger, and I have the armor under my coat to guard against even a lucky hit._ Korra imagines her blade running straight through the woman for that second kill. Korra's chest clenches at the thought.  
  
The woman darts a glance at the open door. Korra's mind recognizes the moment to strike, but she holds back. Then the green eyes are back on Korra for another moment before the woman flees for the exit. Korra scrambles up off her feet to chase after her. "Wait!"

Asami dashes down the hallway and practically jumps down the flight of stairs. She almost stumbles at the landing but uses her arm to steady herself against the ground before staggering forward. _If I can just make it out through the servants' quarters and the grounds I can hide in the forest._ She doesn't relish trekking to the walls of Republic City barefoot and in nightwear, but the rational, civilized part of her mind is stuffed deep down. Asami can hear her pursuer coming up behind her.

She pushes through the servant doors and slams to a stop at the sight of a half a dozen Water Tribe warriors. Her pursuer then slams into her and grabs her by the torso. The dagger goes skimming across the floor. In one fluid motion, Asami is lifted up and her body is balanced on her stomach on her attacker's shoulder. She hears the room behind her burst into peals of laughter.

"Alright, Korra, normally we divide the loot when we get back to camp, but looks like you've got your heart set on this pretty little thing."

Another round of guffaws. A wave of heat emanates from Asami's face and a cauldron of cold, simmering fear starts pouring into the pit of her stomach. She begins screaming and struggling against the arms restraining her, but her legs are soon gripped in a vice and her ankles chafe against a rope being knotted tight. A rag is fixed to her mouth. Her hands are bound by another of the warriors.

With no room left to struggle, this Korra begins carrying Asami through the grounds. She catches a glimpse of a body with a bloody gash slashed across the back. Asami shuts her eyes closed and feels the walls of her throat constricting. In a few moments she finds herself plopped down among the hay bales of the stables. She glares up at Korra, but Korra doesn't return her gaze.

Swallowing down the coldness within her chest, Asami observes her surroundings for a sliver's chance of escape. A Water Tribe warrior enters with her mother's porcelain tea set. Memories of cool summer nights sipping tea by the lake transform into a spoil of war. In the corner another warrior dunks her ax into a trough, and the water drips red when the ax is pulled back up. The warrior uses a rag to wipe the blade clean. A pair enters the stables carrying a fallen comrade. A gray haired officer removes his helm and says words of prayer over the body before the three of them secure it to an ostrich horse. Asami finds a small comfort in knowing her father stayed the previous night in the city proper.

Korra reappears by Asami leading a mount of her own. She kneels down to look at her captive. Asami notices the exhaustion emanating from those blue eyes. Korra lifts Asami up onto the ostrich horse saddle sideways. Asami screams through the rag and shifts wildly in her seat, but Korra clambers up and pulls a Water Tribe coat over her nightgown. The tangy mixture of sweat and the ocean fills Asami's nostrils. Korra grips Asami by the waist and pulls her close. Korra mumbles out a "Sorry.. I.. I didn't expect things to go this way. I'll do what I can to keep you safe." The comment doesn't sway the fear and rage eating Asami up from the inside out. Korra's heels jostle the animal, and they proceed back toward Water Tribe territory. 


	2. In Remembrance of the Dead

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to Chapter 2, thanks for sticking around. The inspiration from this story came from the idea of introducing some Viking influence to the Water Tribes. The Vikings hailed mainly from Denmark and Norway, but settled in northern France and England while also sailing as far as Jerusalem and Canada.

Asami startles at the jeers as the caravan comes into sight of the camp.

"Fuck you, you gutsy sons of whores!"

"I hope you all fall overboard and drown!"

"You deserve a good punch to the stomach!"

Asami blushes at the even more colorful language thrown their way. The returning warriors take the taunts in stride and toss bottles of ransacked liquor into the assembled crowds who respond with greater cheers. Asami feels Korra pull the hood of the coat over her head before anyone can catch a proper sight. She keeps her eyes to the ground, but catches the words whispered to Korra.

"Stash her in your tent for now. Tarum got himself killed so you'll have the space. I'll come by in a bit."

The ostrich horse changes direction below Asami and trots into the heart of the camp. Laughter and boisterous shouts echo from all sides. The fatty aroma of roasting meat stirs her stomach into growls. The heightened fear has receded during the journey back and is replaced by hunger and adrenaline withdrawal induced exhaustion. The ostrich horse shifts as Korra dismounts and sturdy arms are sliding behind Asami's knees. Korra sets Asami down inside the tent and pulls the hood back. She frees the gag from Asami who begins coughing. Korra places a waterskin to her lips, and Asami drinks greedily to salve her parched throat. Korra begins untying the ropes around Asami's ankles. Relief ripples through her legs as she stretches them out. Finding her voice, Asami yells, "What do you want from me?!" Despite the long ride, her muddled mind couldn't string together anything more coherent.

The other woman sighs and squats on the ground leaving Asami's wrists still restrained. Korra removes her leather gauntlets and helm, dropping them aside. With a hand on her neck, she answers, "I meant what I said before. This wasn't how I expected my first raid to go. And I'm new at this," her hands gesture broadly to everything around her, "but a warrior... look nothing's going to stop me from keeping you safe." She leans forward as she rushes the last sentence as if she's trying to convince herself as much as Asami.

Asami frowns slightly, but otherwise maintains a neutral expression. "So what's going to happen?"

"I don't know yet. My commanding officer is meeting with the captain right now. I'll know more when she's done. Are you hungry?" Asami's stomach groans in response, and Korra fishes an apple out of a rucksack. Asami sharply intakes a breath as she unsheathes a dagger tucked into her boot, but Korra doesn't take note as she begins cutting into halves, then fourths and eighths. She places all the slices but one into Asami's cupped palms. Korra bites into the remaining piece and releases a contented sigh.

"This came from our first resupply after setting out. A couple of times the last week and a half, it's been the best part of my day."

Asami brings her bound hands up and her teeth catch onto a slice. Her mouth waters at the tart juiciness. Korra unstraps her leather armor at the shoulders revealing the sleeveless blue tunic underneath and shoulders rippling with muscle. When Korra pulls that over her head and begins unraveling her chest wraps, Asami turns her head away from the sight of the bare torso. Korra reaches for the waterskin at Asami's feet, and Asami hears the water splashing against Korra. After finishing the apple slices, Asami turns back to her captor who has put on a fresh tunic and is retying her dark hair into wolftails.  
  
With a refreshed voice, Korra asks, "What's your name? Feel like I should know that after what we've been through. I'm Korra."

"Asami."

"Well, I'd say it’s a pleasure to meet you Asami, but yeah...”

The stamp of boots comes up to the tent entrance. A woman announces, "I'm coming in."

Asami recognizes it as the same voice from earlier. The woman has also changed into a light blue tunic, and she carries in two bowls of stew wafting with steam. She hands one to Korra -"Thanks, Kurin"- and sets the other next to Asami. Kurin reaches for Asami's wrists, and she instinctively leans away, but Kurin begins untying the remaining bindings. Asami hesitates at first, but Kurin gives a nod and Asami starts gulping down the rich broth.

Kurin addresses Korra, "How are you feeling? Hurt anywhere?"

"No, I'm good. Still winded from the trek, but I'm alright."

Kurin nods. "I'm glad to hear it. Overall, we've got 3 dead, 5 wounded. We're a little far out for a burial at sea, so funeral pyres after sunset. We lost Tarum, but Tarook's squad took the brunt of the damage, so if the captain decides to dissolve it, we could get Tarum's replacement from there. That guardhouse put up a good fight."

Asami almost chokes on a chunk of potato, but Kurin continues over the coughing fit. "As for the spoils, we'll know better after we ransom her back, so my lady, it is in our best interests to keep you in good condition."

The gift of hope and the thunderous reminder she's breaking bread with pirates tear at Asami's pounding heart.

Kurin turns back to Korra. "For now, we'll keep her under wraps. The other crews might tolerate shirking orders for a little ill gotten treasure on the side, especially if we share the booze, but they'll begrudge us a large ransom payment. As for the split, the dead's families will get a triple share, and you'll get a special cut for the capture, but everything else will get split due to seniority. That reminds me, pass me your armor."

Kurin pulls out a pinch of red powder from a pouch at her side. She pours a drop of water into her right palm and vigorously mixes the two together with her left hand. Kurin swipes her left index and middle fingers into paste and imprints a vertical mark into the back left shoulder of Korra's armor.

"Since this was your first raid, I'll go through the whole creed. Ah hmm. As a fellow Iron Wolf, I acknowledge your bravery in today's battle and mark your armor as proof of your deeds to the world."

Korra barely suppresses a grin and responds, "As an Iron Wolf, I place my trust in the marks of my brothers and sisters. Spirits hold us from retreating from battle and showing these marks to the enemy in shame."

"I look forward making many more marks on your armor."

Korra bows her head and says words of thanks. Asami stomach lurches, and vomit rises up in her throat from the brazen routineness of the display.

Kurin wipes her hands on the grass. "Alright, let's get her to the captain's tent."

Asami's eyebrows shoot up and nightmare scenarios overtake the previously building revenge fantasies.

Kurin smirks. "Captain Harun will be away from camp arranging for the transportation of your family's affects, my lady. As a token of his gratitude, he hopes you will find his accommodations much more to your liking than a foot soldier's tent."

Korra punches Kurin in the shoulder, hard, but the older woman shrugs it off without releasing her smirk. Korra provides a pair of trousers and spare boots for Asami, and the two warriors escort their captive through the camp. Asami again pulls the hood up and keeps her head downcast for the walk's duration. Without a second glance, someone would mistake her for another warrior passing by.

The captain's tent encompasses enough room for a dozen people to occupy comfortably, though a polar bear dog currently takes up a quarter of the space. Asami jumps back at the sight and bumps against Kurin, but Korra runs forward to snuggle into the animal's neck.

"Naga!"

"I had her brought from the stables. Guards will be nearby day and night, but I figured Naga will help you keep a vigilant eye on the lady."

Asami interrupts, "It's Asami, and I'm not a noble." Korra laughs in response to the retort as she play wrestles with the polar bear dog.  
  
Kurin rolls her eyes. "Fine. Korra, I'll let you know when we have any updates on the ransom, but you're on babysitting duty for the next few days at least. Try not to get your throat slit by the Lady Asami. Your father would flay us alive and feed the bones to Naga."

Before turning to leave, Kurin grips both of Asami's shoulders and presses her fingers against the collar bone. Boring into Asami with piercing blue eyes, she growls in a low voice that only carries to her, "And if you think that's a hellish way to spend the last hours of a life, you don't want to know what I will personally inflict on your body if you try to escape or hurt Korra." Asami swallows hard, but keeps her body stone still. The rustling of a tent flap signals Kurin's departure, and Asami collapses to the ground with her knees hugged against her chest. Her bare teeth sink into her forearm to stifle a scream.

Korra moves closer and Asami shoots her a glare that dares her to take another step. The cool, collected part of her mind tells her to endure the captivity until her father paid the ransom, but fire is burning through her veins. _These monsters slaughtered my household, ransacked my home. And they're fucking celebrating it, commemorating it! They're right in front of me, and I can't do anything. Spirits fucking damn it!_

The maelstrom passes. She has drained her reserves of strength too many times today and impotent fury only lasts so long. Ragged sobs rend the air. Korra's arms wrap around her, and Asami sinks into the warm embrace too tired to care about seeking comfort in the perpetrator of her suffering. Asami begins drifting off and notices that her body is being lowered onto the fur layered floor. Fingers wipe the wet tears from her cheeks as she sinks into a fitful sleep.

 

Asami wakes with a start and the cold realization of her location reattaches like iron chains. Korra snores with her back resting against Naga, and Asami notices a knife on her belt. Her need for revenge flares up for a moment. She imagines slicing open Korra's throat and the woman's gurgling death throws. But the flames extinguish once more, and Asami instead searches for a waterskin.

Korra stirs awake at the movement and wipes the sleep from her eyes. "Hey. How are you feeling?"

"Not great..." Korra waits for her to continue. "You know, bandits routinely attack my dad's trade routes. We employ armed escorts, and one out of every thirty caravans might still get attacked, but the wagons that make it through pay for the one in ninety that doesn't come back. You think of it as the price of business, and the bandits can become down on their luck citizens trying to scrape enough to feed their families. But when you wake up to the screams of people you've known all your life, and all you can do is hide shivering in a closet..." She trails off.

"We're not bandits." Korra spits the words out like they insulted her, but she looks to a spot behind Asami's shoulder avoiding eye contact. "When I was younger, I would sit in my mom's lap as my dad told stories to pass the winter. I'd always ask about the Hundred Year War. I loved hearing about Aang. They say he was spirit blessed, hidden away for a century until the time was right to oppose Fire Lord Ozai." Korra's eyes briefly light up at the memory, and a smile flickers across her face.

She continues, "But I would also ask for stories about Hakoda. I admired the Water Tribe sailors who fought the Fire Nation navy even as the Earth Kingdom collapsed in slow motion. Our warriors raided the Fire Nation colonies and all along the outlying home islands. And now we're on this crusade to defend Water Tribe territories in the northern Earth continent. We're not bandits."

Korra's shoulders slump, and she breathes a deep sigh as she rises up. "I'll be at Tarum's funeral. I'll bring some dinner by after." Korra leaves Asami alone with the polar bear dog and the ringing silence.


	3. Escape

The clanging cookware of a waking camp drifts in through the tent. Korra absentmindedly scratches between Naga's shoulders as she watches Asami. The morning light has lifted Korra's stormy mood from last night, but the other woman has rooted herself to a corner hugging her knees to her chest. Korra stifles a yawn. Korra rises to her feet and flips through the nautical maps strewn across the captain's desk for the third time in the last half hour. A childhood memory comes to mind, and she gambles on it.

"These maps remind me of when my dad took me out on my first fishing expedition when I was eight. We set off after lunch on this little sloop, just me and him. At first we steered straight into the open ocean, and as the harbor faded from view I remember grinning so much I laughed at how BIG the ocean seemed. Rising and falling waves as far as I could see and deep, almost solid darkness below us. At the time the boat seemed only about this wide." Korra brings her hands about a foot apart. "My dad let me handle the rudder, and he shouted instructions to me when he adjusted the sails. When we finally got to the fishing spot, I was so pumped at our little adventure I yelled out anytime I saw a flit of silver come near my fishing pole." Asami lifts her head to listen, and the attention emboldens Korra.

"So my dad teased me that I wouldn't get to eat that night because I scared all my fish away. And I knew it was a joke, but I was a pretty stubborn eight year old, so I absolutely refused to eat anything. My dad had to bribe me with lessons on how to navigate by starlight before I broke down. And then the next morning, he woke early and starting rocking the boat and screaming about a terrible storm. I was so scared and then furious that I tossed a bucket of seawater into his face."

A snicker of a laugh escapes Asami's mouth, and it’s a tiny, fluttering thing, but its there. Korra places her hands on her hips and basks for a moment in her triumph. Korra then picks up her supply pack and takes a seat next to Asami. Her slender fingers tighten their grip on her knees, but she doesn't move away.

"Yesterday was a disaster, and I want to start today off better by returning this to you. I wouldn't feel right keeping it." Korra pulls out a jewelry box, and Asami's eyes go wide. Asami holds onto the wooden box with both hands as if seeking extra assurance it's really there. She opens the lid, and her eyes immediately find a necklace of golden gossamer strands braided together and adorned with a circular pendant of pale jade. She slips the necklace around her neck and holds the pendant in her palm.

"My mother gave me this on my sixth birthday. We walked together to the lake hand in hand, and she laid down a blanket on the shore. I remember curling up into her arms as we watched the sunset dance across the water's surface. She told me to close my eyes, and when I opened them, I saw the necklace dangling in front of me. She said the pendant matched my eyes." Her hands close around the jade and tuck it beneath her collar. "Thank you."

Korra feigns a cough and brings her hand up to cover her mouth. "Don't mention it. I, uh, I can hold onto the rest of the box for now at least until you're back safe with your family."

"I would very much appreciate that."

"I said don't mention it." Korra secures the jewelry box back in her supply pack and breathes freer at having lightened the tension, if only slightly. She places the pack back in its corner and pats Naga's head. She glances at Asami over her shoulder, and the woman has shifted to lay back against the ground with her hand over her chest, no doubt directly over the pendant.

Korra takes her seat by Naga and before the silence creeps back, she asks, "Tell me more about your mother."   
  
Asami rises to tuck her legs beneath her and takes a breath before saying, "She passed when I was young; a fever took her in the night. Some of the everyday rhythms of living with her have faded away, but some memories are frozen in my mind like amber. After spring rains, I can hear her laughter in the breeze. I can never recall what she's laughing about, but a dancing warmth wells up inside me." Asami smiles and in this precious moment, evidence of the last two days' burdens evaporates from her face.

"And your father?"

The delicate moment extends as Asami continues. "Most people probably know him from his bargaining table reputation or tavern gossip about his wealth, but to me, he's my kindhearted father who raised me most of my life. Nowadays he spends most of his time in Republic City, but when he's home he wakes up at dawn and has a bowl of rice porridge. He naps in the afternoon, and likes a hot cup of tea with lemon when he wakes. In the night, he'll burn through a half dozen candles pouring over his bookkeeping journals. In his free time, he tinkers. He worked closely with the masons when they built our mansion. As a young girl, I would spread the plans across my writing desk and beg him to walk me through the designs and all the calculations. He always brought me along when he chatted with a carpenter or a blacksmith on a commission."

"Well, you'll be reunited with him soon."

"I hope so. Tell me about your parents. Do they approve of you... being out here?"

Korra lets out something between a laugh and sigh. She rubs the back of her neck and says, "My dad sailed out here with a different crew. I think part of him is proud I took after him, but I think he also wishes I stayed back home with my mother. With her, I think she accepted long ago I wasn't meant for a peaceful life, that I wanted to explore the world and make a name for myself as a Water Tribe warrior."

"Even if that means killing people?" Asami catches Korra off guard like a rogue wave.

"No, that's, that's not... Look we're here because the Water Tribes have lived and fished along the northern Earth continent coasts for generations, and the United Republic citizens are trying to claim the lands for themselves. We're trying to convince the Council to stop this invasion and keep it from spreading any further."

"And that includes looting the countryside?" Asami asks as calm as the ocean on a moonless night.

"That's just...that's just part of the way things are." Korra's voice strains and nears a yell. "We've been doing this since the Hundred Year War, long before Air Nomad Aang's reemergence and all the way up until the fall of Fire Lord Ozai. We're trying to protect the Water Tribes!"

Asami meets her shouts with silence. Korra pants for air, but the sudden stuffiness within the tent withholds relief.  _Two steps forward, two steps back and I don't have anymore jewelry to return._ Korra moves to storm outside and punch the first person she sees. She's almost at the tent's entrance when Asami grabs her wrist. Korra pulls back reflexively, but relaxes when she realizes it's Asami.

The other woman breaks eye contact, and stares at the ground when she says, "I didn't mean to offend you, for that to slip out. These last couple days, it's like I'm lost adrift, and there's a tugging whisper in the back of my mind telling me that if I shut my eyes tight enough, that when I open them, the dream will end. But it never does."

Korra closes the distance by a step, but before she can anything Asami raises her head. "And I know you promised to protect me, and I am grateful for the return of the jewelry box, but I'm afraid a part of me will never forget that you're my jailer or what you've done to my home."

Korra focuses on those green eyes. "Let's go for a ride."

Asami's hands tighten on Korra's wrist in surprise. "What?"

"I am your jailer, and I can't let you return home just yet, but that doesn't mean I have to keep you inside this tent all day. The camp isn't fully wake yet, so let's slip out and go for a ride on Naga. Let's go exploring." Korra's fingers angle to grab onto Asami, and she leads her back to the polar bear dog. Korra releases the hold and begins gathering supplies. "How about it?"

Asami's instincts aren't sure what to make of the situation, so she can only nod.

"Great! Grab your coat."

Asami pulls the coat over her head, and then Korra's hand is in hers again as they walk into the sunlight with Naga following behind. Water Tribesmen are milling about, but most are concentrated on inhaling their breakfast. As they pass beyond the wooden palisades and into the treeline, Asami notices pile of smoldering ashes she assumes are from last night's ceremony. Before her mind can dwell, Korra climbs into Naga's saddle and holds out a hand for Asami. She hesitates, but grabs hold to take the seat behind Korra.

Korra grips the reins and announces with a grin, "Ok, let's have an adventure."

Naga trots through the trees crunching the leaves underneath her paws. Asami tentatively wraps her arms around Korra's waist to steady herself. When Korra doesn't comment, Asami's mind instead wanders to cherishing the birdsong and the aroma of the evaporating morning dew.

Korra spots a trailhead, and Naga is soon hugging onto a rocky dirt path that cuts back and forth across the mountainside. At one curve Korra pulls on the reins, and the riders turn to face back around, wind whipping through their hair. The valley below lays wedged between two tree lined slopes, and wisps of smoke from the campfires are the only sign of the people below. Far off in the hazy distance where the earth melds with the open skies, the valley flattens out into the plains. Asami can almost make out Republic City.

They continue on until they come upon a field with a hidden creek trickling somewhere in the distance. The water calls to Korra, and she guides them deeper into the mountains. At times the river's whispers come from somewhere deep below their path and disappear for minutes at a time. Then the water's roar reappears up ahead and spurs Korra on. The dirt gives way to granite slabs. Gnarled trunks and strong roots dig into hulking outcroppings jutting from the mountainside. Naga's paws splash into puddles pooled in the dips of the path. The clammy wetness of the air enters the lungs and chills the bones. Asami pulls the coat tight around her chest and leans forward into the spark of warmth seeping through Korra's thin tunic.

"Hang on tight." The break in silence catches Asami off guard, but she pays heed. Korra turns Naga away from the path, and they lope down a steep incline coming to a stop at the base of a waterfall hidden from the trail. The plummeting waters run white over a rock face of obsidian blackness. Across from the waterfall, the mountain slants into a cliff overlooking the valley. The scattered clouds cast the landscape in a pattern of light and shadow. As Korra unsaddles Naga, Asami sits down near the cliff edge. The wind blows cold, but the wildflowers are blooming and carrying her a lifetime away from the last two days.

Korra walks up behind her and offers a waterskin and a package of rice balls packed with salted fish. Taking a deep breath to taste the crispness of the air, Korra says, "This reminds me of home. Everyone thinks its ice and snow year round, but in the summer you can ride out and find untouched fields of grasses and flowers coming alive. But what takes me back is the sky, how it takes up almost all of what you can see. When you spend too much time in the forests, you forget the sky's not just something that's above you, it's all around you." She lies flat on the ground with a languid groan as she stretches out the soreness in her legs, and places her hands behind her head.

Asami continues gazing into the horizon. "Tell me more about the North Pole. I interrupted you before."

Korra doubles over laughing. Seeing Asami's puzzled face, she explains, ”No, no, it's just that I'm Southern Water Tribe. All of us back at camp sailed up from the South Pole."

"Oh, I didn't realize. I had heard rumors some Southern ships had landed a little time ago..."

Korra's holds her breath in anticipation of what may come next. Asami makes no indication of continuing her train of thought so Korra jumps in to redirect the conversation. Korra coughs and licks her lips. "Anyways, uh, it’s hard to describe what the South Pole is like to an outsider. It's all I've ever known. I guess I could say, on the one hand, I always felt the smallness of myself. On the open seas, it's like I'm a speck of dust floating in the ocean's palm. On land, winter whiteness can stretch all around and even when I do come across something to break the endlessness, it’s usually a mountain of a glacier. On the other hand, it's that same smallness that makes me feel alive. That it's me against the world, that I'm being rocked by the waves or burnt by the arctic wind means I exist despite my smallness."

"Sounds scary and exciting at the same time."

"Hah. I'm probably making it more romantic than I mean to. It's boring old home to me. And we do have permanent villages, but those are almost places you return to by default when you're not on a hunting or fishing expedition. To be fair, because of some the stuff my dad does for the village, we spent most of our time close to home." _So it was like fulfilling a dream I didn't know I needed when I heard about this chance to sail to the United Republic._

Korra pulls out a handful of green grass and tosses it into the wind. "What's Republic City like?"

"Like a world of adventure ten steps in any direction." Asami grin lights up her eyes, and Korra finds it infectious.

"I remember visiting the merchant guild warehouses with my dad when I was younger. The ships with their billowing sails bobbed to and fro as they entered the harbor. I was captivated by the idea that each cargo crate carried secrets whispered in far off lands. I'm apprenticing at my father's trading house now, and I insisted on a window that faced the ocean so I could throw it open to the cries of the sea birds and shouts of the dockworkers. A little before dark, the night market food vendors will raise lanterns over their stalls and start setting out their wares. The aroma of spices from all over the world mingles with the ocean spray. Now who's making things overly romantic?"

Korra laughs in response. "No, it all sounds wonderful. What are you apprenticing in? Back South we just tend to figure out how we can best help the village and focus on that."  
  
"Well, when I first started out, I spent most of my time memorizing trade routes and learning the bookkeeping. Lately I've been travelling aboard our trading ships on shorter journeys within the United Republic, polishing my bargaining skills and building trust with the merchants on the route. Down the line I hope to start mapping out new routes. The way I think about it is everybody is the hero of their own unique journey, but take a step back and we all somehow end up in Republic City. If you observe the stars long enough, you can start making sense of their movements. That's what I hope to do with the trading house, uncover the secrets of all those rivers of people and goods flowing across the world." Asami stops embarrassed at her enthusiasm and how long she's been speaking.

Korra, however, has propped herself up by her elbow to look at Asami with interest. "Sounds a little like home. Each hunting season we can only flow according to where nature guides us."

Asami casts her eyes downward at the attention. "I'd like to visit the South Pole one of these days. I think I would enjoy the change of pace. You said people from your tribe fall into their roles. What's that like?"

"I think you would enjoy the South, especially in the summer. We're still active in the winter, we're adapted to the cold, but there's an urgency during the summer to do some extra living after the long winter. And, well, there are village responsibilities that have to be taken care of, whether it’s hunting, fishing, smoking the meats, tanning the leather, or maintaining the huts. And everyone knows a little of everything and does what they can for the village, but over time you find the task you most enjoy, are most skilled at, and start spending more time in that area. I spend a decent of my time hunting, but at the heart of things, it’s more that I like to start off in a direction and see where my boots take me."

The two women settle into a comfortable silence, like old friends who have finished swapping anecdotes and are content to enjoy the presence of each other's company. After some time, Korra lets out a yawn and with closed eyes says, "Kurin said she would check up on us a little before sunset, so we have some time before we have to start heading back. I'm going to take a nap. Feel free to do the same."

Asami entertains the thought of escape, but gauging the distance of Republic City, she realizes the hopelessness. With Korra already in the midst of gently snoring, Asami rises and finds a flat rock by the churning pool below the waterfall. Naga carries over a branch and nudges Asami's side with her nose. Asami tosses the stick into the trees, and Naga runs off to retrieve it. Between the game of fetch and the rumbling water flow, her mind drifts into a calming weightlessness that lasts for the next few hours.

 

Korra gallops Naga back through the valley not to arrive back on time, but for the heart pumping thrill. Holding on tight to Korra, Asami feels the muscles in Korra's back tense and relax in time to the slap of paws on the ground, and a small idea wriggles into Asami's mind. Her fingers trace the handle of the knife strapped to Korra's belt. A seductive thought tells her that a quick strike will tear through Korra's blue shirt and down to the exposed stomach underneath. She sees the warm blood flowing over her hands. _My revenge won't come any easier._ She argues against herself that she wouldn't make it out alive between Naga and the trek back to Republic City through the night. And also -her chest twists at admitting to this- she has trouble separating the image of Korra as feral Water Tribe warrior that slaughtered her household and the person she's actually spent time with, the Korra that returned her jewelry and probably disobeyed direct orders to take her out on a excursion to sooth her mind. Killing one would kill the other, and Asami resists her baser instincts to carry out the act.  
  
Soon they're slowing down as they near the palisades. A guard greets them as he opens a section of the wall. "How's it going, Korra? Sneaking back from another raid? We'll be telling stories of that one for years."

Korra laughs and salutes the guard. "No, just taking Naga out for a ride." Asami thinks she might have caught a bit of strain in Korra's answer but can't be certain. Upon returning to the familiar air of the tent, a dull ache begins throbbing in Asami's chest. The venture with Korra has created its own world separate from everything else, and the cruelty of returning to this world is like jumping back into the ocean that's trying to drown her.

 

The next morning, though, Korra begins preparing for another hike, and Asami finds herself helping out by packing up odds and ends. Korra directs them up into another curving mountain pass. Naga's paws sink into the damp soil and crack open the warm smells of the fresh earth. At the steeper inclines they pause to allow Naga to catch her breath, but in time crest onto an open field blanketed with waves of knee high grass. At the far end of the field sits a lake surrounded by scree covered mountains on three sides. Contrasted against the ashen whiteness of the rubble, dark green clumps of pine trees are rooted all across the landscape right up to the lake's edge. The water at the shorelines shimmers translucently as glass, but turns crystal blue before again transitioning to patches of green at the lake's center.

Korra and Asami sit on a fallen pine bleached by the sun while Naga laps up a drink. Asami takes a flat stone and skips it across the water's surface. The ripples and splashes shift the lake's colors between blue and green. Korra grins and flings her own stone which promptly sinks down into the lake on first contact. Asami covers her mouth to suppress a giggle, and Korra gives out an exaggerated harrumph. She grabs another stone and heaves it across the lake, but this also finds its new home at the bottom of the lake bed with a plunk. Another stone comes skimming across the water's surface, and Korra whips around to see Asami's mischievous smile. Korra breaks out laughing and Asami joins in.

"I've always wanted to ask this, how does penguin sledding work?" asks Asami after her breathing calms down.

"Where'd you hear that from?"

Asami shrugs. "Bedtime stories about Aang and his early time with the Southern Water Tribe."

Korra places a hand to her chin. "I've experienced my fair share of otter sledding, time honored Water Tribe childhood tradition, you know? You grab onto an otter penguin, climb up a hill, and then ride on its back down the hill as fast as you can go."

Asami breaks into laughter again. "You make something so ridiculous sound so simple."

Korra makes an act of appearing indignant, but takes the comment in good humor. "Well, what can I say? It's exactly as it sounds. What did you do for fun growing up?"

"Hmm, I spent a lot of time cooped up with my tutors, but sometimes I would sneak away to watch the blacksmiths hammering and teasing out their newest creation. When Air Temple Island hosted feast days, I rode the ferry over and spent all day wandering among the pavilion and all the festival stalls."

"Wait, any chance you know Tenzin then?"

"Sure, I've met him and his family a few times at the formal galas. My dad will sometimes mention him when discussing politics."

"Oh, I've had dinner with Tenzin when he comes to visit his mother! I think I even watched his kids once or twice."

"Do you know Katara then?"

"Sure, everyone knows Katara, best healer in the world and hero of the Hundred Year War. She visited my parents every so often for tea. When I was younger, I never had the patience to listen in and would run out the door looking for something to do as soon as I saw an opening. Later I started sitting in more, and they still talk about boring Southern Water Tribe gossip most of the time, but sometimes she reminisces about her journeys during the war or the early days of the United Republic."

"Small world."

Korra picks up another stone and fruitlessly tosses it into the water.

"Here, let me show you." They spend the rest of the lazy afternoon trading childhood stories and on the ride back, Asami can almost finding herself settling into this rhythm and imagining that they're friends.

 

That night Kurin enters the tent in full armor and announces, "Your father must really love you, my lady. He's already put together the ransom. We'll be riding out in half an hour for the exchange. The captain has arranged mounts for all of us to make an escape if this turns into an ambush, so bring Naga along. Meet us at the palisades." When Kurin just as abruptly leaves, Asami claps a hand to her mouth and her body is so bursting with relief she needs an outlet. When she sees Korra grinning along, Asami gives her a crushing hug to share in her celebration.

 

The warriors ride through the forest without conversation, though Asami can almost hear their weapons glistening in the moonlight. They arrive at a grassy clearing, and Asami sees torchlight on the other side. Asami's heart beats with anticipation. Korra and a few of the other warriors dismount and leave their weapons behind.

Asami comes up to Korra and places a hand on her shoulder. A part of her prefers to treat the last few days as an extended dream to be forgotten with the passing time. Another part will miss looking forward to the next day's adventure with Korra and Naga. And another part regrets that they will soon find themselves on the opposite sides of the war in a few moments.

"I wanted to say that you held up to your original promise beyond all my expectations. Thank you for everything you've done."

Korra squeezes Asami's hand. "It has been my pleasure."

An archer shoots a flaming arrow across the field, and a small Water Tribe group begins escorting Asami. Her palms sweat, and the adrenaline coursing through her limbs tells her to run. The Sato envoys approach carrying an oak chest, and the two groups stop about thirty feet apart. The Sato men place the chest down on the ground with a thud and open the lid to reveal gold and silver coins piled high. The captain nods and turns to Korra and Asami.

Korra looks into Asami's eyes. "Be safe, Asami."

Asami smiles and begins walking ahead. When she rejoins the Sato group, they position themselves between her and the Iron Wolves approaching the treasure chest. Asami keeps looking forward, and each step takes a day and a night. Soon, however, she's in sight of her father, and he takes her in a warm hug. By the time Asami looks back across the field, the Iron Wolves have already disappeared back into the shadows.

 

For the next couple days, Korra moves with a bright energy from knowing how right and cleanly everything worked out. She's joking along with Kurin like before the raid when Harun approaches with a hangdog look on his face.

Without any preamble he growls, "Negotiations are off. That bastard Hiroshi Sato staked his fortune to hire a mercenary army from the Earth Kingdom, and he convinced the rest of the merchants guild to do the same. Now that dog Tarrlok thinks he can take us. The mercenaries will be here in a week's time, so Chief Unalaq is ordering an attack in two days. Our objective is to breach the Southwest gates. The Northern Tribe will simultaneously attack the North gates. A combined fleet will take the harbor and reinforce whatever foothold we've managed to take."

Harun’s grip tightens against a piece of parchment held in his right hand, and Korra notices the official seal. "And I suspect Chief Unalaq has an idea of why Sato did such a thing. He has personally requested the Iron Wolves to be in the vanguard." He tears the parchment in two before tossing the scraps into the campfire. Kurin rubs her face both hands and lets out a long string of profanity. Someone comments, "Well, at least we earned the gold to pay for our funerals." Sensation starts drifting away from Korra's own body, and she grabs hold of her knees to steady herself.  _Well, I didn't set sail from the South Pole to go camping and hiking, did I?_


	4. The Battle

A horn blasts out, and the Iron Wolves charge forward within a thousand strong wave of Water Tribe warriors towards the low slung Republic City walls. A volley of arrows takes flight from behind the stone defenses, and Korra raises her shield above her head as she continues sprinting across the field. The ground behind her thumps from the impact of warriors crumpling. Screams of agony mix with the war cries. The archers loose another volley, but Korra is already past their range. Rather than slowing her stride, she slams against the walls to stop. She catches her breath as a ladder is brought and raised up against the wall.

Kurin is the first one to climb up, and Korra scrambles right behind. Kurin brings her ax down in a smooth arc. Korra doesn't see the defender though she hears the crunch of the bone and muscle. Kurin jumps onto the wall, and Korra scurries to the top. She runs her spear through the torso of a United Forces soldier as she steps off the ladder to protect Kurin's back. She blocks a swordsman's attack and stabs his calf before kicking him square in the chest and off the wall.

More comrades join on either side, and they're fighting three abreast with just enough room to swing their weapons. She lunges her spear forward and slashes another defender across his throat. He clutches at the gushing wound as he slumps to the ground. A Water Tribe warrior from behind Korra deals the finishing blow as she steps over the body.

  
Her kill tally rises steadily, but each soldier downed is replaced by another, and as the Water Tribe warriors press forward the wild eyed defenders wave their weapons more desperately. Korra feels her spear arm fatiguing and her concentration on the present moment flags. In that second, a defender with a short sword runs in past her spear. She utters an expletive as she tries to back up, but the mass of bodies pressing against her back prevents any maneuvering. She sees an afterimage of the sword stabbed straight up into her stomach and through to her lungs. A spear comes rushing past from behind Korra about an inch from her cheek and catches the swordsman in the shoulder before the premonition proves itself true. His screams are silences as Korra strikes a second blow to his chest. Korra shouts out thanks to the warrior behind her.   
  
At the next section over, a Southern Water Tribe squad cleaves their way down a staircase attached to the back of the wall. The remaining Republic City soldiers in the vicinity realize their escape route has been closed off, and like a synchronized flock of birds they move as one in making a suicidal charge to reopen it. The Water Tribesmen repulse them back, and Korra's group tears into the backs of the demoralized survivors.  
  
With the path carved open, Korra forces her exhausted legs down the steps three at a time. The defenders have ringed the foothold at the bottom of the stairs with a circle of spears and pole arms. Korra shoves her way to the front lines, and her spear starts crashing into the opposing shields but none connect with flesh. A countering spear thrust hits her shield dead center pushes it right against her body until she's looking straight down into the spear point. The attacker twists the spear and swings it up. Korra jerks her head back, but the blade nicks the skin above her eyebrow. Blood starts flowing down into her left eye and induces a panic about a killing blow she won't see coming. Korra digs her heels attempting to backpedal as she furiously wipes the blood away.

Berserker cries rage forth and a horde of axes set upon the line of United Forces resistance at the base of the steps. Vision clear after several frenzied heartbeats, Korra sees Water Tribesmen overrunning other parts of the wall. A battering ram crashes through the main gates, and the main forces charge through the opening like a conquering horde on Armageddon.

Drums beat out from the heart of Republic City, and the remaining defenders retreat back towards the city. The Southern Water Tribe partly chose this point of attack because it typically hosts an open air marketplace, so the defenders are now fleeing across a vast parcel of open ground. The freshly arrived Water Tribesmen give chase like hounds and split the skulls of any unfortunate stragglers.

Sweat runs all the way down Korra's back, and she's smeared her own blood across half her face, but she breaks out into laughter. Every exhale flings a dagger into her lungs, but a new bout of laughter hits her each time she tries to stop. She collapses into a sitting position with her spear braced against her shoulder. The remaining Iron Wolves begin to stagger around her as the last manic gasps escape from her mouth.

"What's gotten into you?" Harun's left arm hangs limply against his side, and blood drips steadily down his fingertips.

"Just happy to be alive." Korra holds back another outburst as she notices only a third as many Iron Wolves are gathered around as before the assault, but manages a weak grin when she spots Kurin among them.

"Good thing to be happy about. With any luck we've done our part. Army takes this foothold, fleet takes the harbor, and war is well on its way to being over by sunset."

The drum tempo speeds up and a shield wall of Republic City soldiers forms at the boundary between the field and the city proper. Some of the attackers charge at the formation, but are quickly cut down. The rest halt in their tracks.

"Form ranks! Form ranks!" A Water Tribe general's voice restores reason and messengers begin repeating a three blast pattern on their horns. The clumps of Water Tribe warriors shed their disorientation and coalesce into their own battles lines eight soldiers deep. The front lines interlock their shields into a wall.

Harun's left fist clenches and rivulets of blood squeeze out onto the ground. "Alright, you heard the orders. Let's get going." Korra heaves off the ground, and the Iron Wolves jog towards the impending battle. A mid-ranking officer rides up to meet them and directs them into a block of soldiers organized in reserve behind the main lines.

The United Forces surge forward like a recreation of a children's game if it didn't have the power of a tidal wave. Shields meet shields, and the Water Tribe lines warp like a pillar of lumber bearing too much weight. United Forces and Water Tribe soldiers alike lean into their shoulders and shove forward into the back of the person in front of them. The Water Tribe formation rebounds from the initial charge and forces separation between the sides, who now find the space to start hacking away at each other through the wall of shields. The air overflows with the cacophony of metal cracking away at leather and wood. Eventually the United Forces' momentum stumbles, and the defenders pull back. The Water Tribe lines decompress, and each soldier drinks in the extra breathing room.

The two lines stare each other down until one of the Water Tribe officers signals for a surge. Wood splinters pop off through the air. Harun turns to address the remaining Iron Wolves, "Now's the time to wrap any wounds or flag down any porters from camp carrying water or provisions."

Kurin wets a cloth and wipes the blood from Korra's face like a mother hen. Korra squirms slightly. "Should we really be so relaxed in the middle of a battle?"

Kurin tilts Korra's chin to check the cut above her eye. "We didn't have time for formal battle lines, so green units are mixed up with the battle hardened, and we somehow have the place of honor as the last line of defense. We won't have to act for some time." Both armies indeed shuffle over the same ground as they slowly whittle each other down. Soldiers counts down the seconds in each cycle until the two sides break apart, so they can snatch a moment's rest and a quick gulp of water before beginning anew.

 

A half hour into the clash, a cloud of dust rises far off the left flank. A heavy cavalry corps has arrived on the field and calls the reserve force into duty. The cavalry has been moving at a trot but turn to a gallop as the Water Tribe warriors arrive at the flank and brace their shields. The gallop transforms into a thundering charge as the spears are raised in defense. Korra swears she sees pebbles hopping six feet up into the air. In the split second before impact, Korra remarks to herself that she would admire the grace of the riders and ostrich horses in their gray plate armor with bronze trim if they weren't out to impale her. Then the spears are shattering off that same armor, and men are trampled underneath or sent flying through the air. Captain Harun is downed along with half of the remaining Iron Wolves. Korra slams to the ground from the mountain of bodies pushed against her.

The experience of the remaining warriors holds strong and moves to mire the cavalry into single combat. Korra catches sight of the cavalry leader who has two jagged scars running perpendicular to her right jaw line. She's switched her lance for a sword and slashes away at the foot soldiers on either side of her. The Water Tribe starts closing in, but the cavalry regroups and retreats. The warriors sluggishly reform the lines as if suffering from a collective concussion. Korra's arms and shoulders are jarred numb from the charge's bone crushing impact.

The opposing cavalry has already turned back towards the Water Tribe. The cavalry leader raises her lance into the air, and the ostrich horses charge again towards the reserve force. They raise their spears and hunch low to the ground, but the cavalry overwhelms the front lines like a landslide. Before Korra or any of the other warriors can shake off the impact, the cavalry maneuver out like clockwork.

An arm slings against Korra's shoulder for support. Kurin has a slash running down from her forehead to just above her right eye. Her armor below the chest has been pierced by a lance, and blood leaks from the puncture. Through gritted teeth she yells out, "No fucking commander has ever had the audacity to face the Water Tribes head on three times in a row and lived to tell the tale! 100 gold coins whoever takes that captain's head!"

Korra surveys the tired eyes of her comrades. Kurin's mustered bravado has already begun fading; her eyelids droop down and more of her weight rests against Korra. She lays Kurin down on the ground behind the formation and unstraps her armor. Korra gingerly pulls up Kurin's tunic as the fabric sticks to the bleeding wound. Kurin's eyes are closed, and breathing comes labored. The rumble of the hooves returns. Korra digs out a roll of bandages from her pack and rolls it around Kurin's torso. The Water Tribe warriors reform ranks. If nothing else, their pride has not failed them yet.

Their token resistance buckles as soon as the cavalry returns. Their wedge formation cuts straight through the reserve force splitting them apart in half. The ostrich horses ignore Korra as they gun straight ahead into the backside of the main shield wall. The left flank breaks open like a burst dam, and the United Forces foot soldiers march forward into the disarray. Trapped between a tightly bunched shield wall ahead and the lances of the cavalry behind, panic sets in along the formation. The breakdown ripples across the rest of the Water Tribe lines which begin collapsing. The rout is on, and the warriors scatter back to the walls.

Korra tosses her shield and spear aside. Bringing her arm around Kurin, she lifts her up and they begin hobbling together in retreat. They gain about 50 steps before the cavalry catches up. Korra stops in place and with one hand holding tight onto Kurin, she raises the other in a gesture of surrender. A cavalry officer who looks to be from the Water Tribes dismounts and unstraps Korra's sword from her back. He places a hand on Kurin and says, "We'll take care of your friend. Don't worry, we treat our prisoners well."

Korra reluctantly lets go as the Republic soldier carries Kurin to an ostrich horse. Kurin grunts feebly in protest but can't spare the blood for much else. Korra takes one last look at Kurin as the ostrich horse trots off, and the other cavalry officers escort Korra towards the city. After all her daydreams of visiting the Republic City the absurdity of arriving as a prisoner of war almost summons another bout of laughter. _Almost._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading chapter 4. Harun and Kurin have bowed out of the story for now, and I hope you found them tolerable. I'm personally not a big fan of original characters in fanfiction, since they can be hard to incorporate without calling attention to themselves, but I needed some additional Water Tribe characters to fill out the Iron Wolves. I considered using Noatak but didn't think he had the canon characterization outside of his Amon persona for my meager skills to repurpose into a role as Korra's comrade/mentor.


	5. Life

Korra and the other prisoners march through the streets of Republic City under the watch of guards stationed at each alley way and intersection. They pass through the cobbler district. Starting at the top of the hill, rows of polished windows display dancing shoes and formal riding wear. As they wind downhill, the paint on the storefronts wears thinner and the goods more tailored towards the common laborer. Every so often Korra hears the creak of window shutters overhead as the cobblers living above their businesses sneak a peak at the column.

At the bottom of the hill, the ocean breeze welcomes Korra home. She closes her eyes and inhales the familiar salt air flowing around her. Then the smell of burning wood snaps her eyes open. In the harbor, masts of sunken Water Tribe and United Forces ships break the water's surface. A few still floating wrecks are burning down with their timbers crackling in the flames. Waves slowly carry corpses to the shore.  
  
The United Forces funnel the Water Tribe warriors into an open air prison framed with hastily assembled palisades. They collect her armor, and the guard makes a mumbled comment to his partner. He then pats her down and confiscates her knives. She ponders her next steps as she lies down on a spot of grass and stares up into the blue skies blotted by the occasional flurry of ash. Painful scenarios conjure themselves into being. Her father, her crew. The Southwest gates, the Northern gates. The camp fills up. Sometimes entire crews straggle in together as if caught by a giant fishing net.

The noontime sun beats down. The prison guards bring in troughs of water and barrels of stale biscuits. Korra ladles a drink, but the food kills her appetite. She finally drifts between fitful sleep and fitful waking. Lost in morbid dreams, Korra doesn't notice the two guards approach until they heave her up by her arms. "Hiroshi Sato requests your presence."

Korra smashes in the nose of the nearest soldier with the heel of her hand. He stumbles back as blood gushes from his face, and other guards run over to contain her. She throws one to the ground and manages a hit on another, but the others manage to pull her arms behind her back and bind them tight with rope. Guards flank either side of her and drag her out of the prison. The other Water Tribesmen start closing in, but more guards hold them back with the threat of raised spears.

They proceed down along the docks. Korra thinks to Asami's description of the bustle, but she only hears the waterlogged planks creaking underneath and the whistle of the cavernous warehouses. She does catch the cries of the sea birds. The guards enter into a trading house and push Korra up the stairs to the second floor. Coming to an office, the soldiers shove Korra into a hard backed wooden chair. A finely dressed man with salt and pepper hair watches her through steepled fingers. She can still hear the cries of the birds, and the proximity to the sea fuels the defiance in her soul.

"Do you know who I am?"

"Go fuck yourself."

He pushes his glasses up against his nose. He pauses like a school teacher about to correct the logic in a student's argument. "I am Hiroshi Sato, and I believe you were involved with my daughter's kidnapping."

Korra leans forward. "We returned her to you unharmed, we got the ransom money. We're square, that's how things go." The guards pull her back into the seat.

Hiroshi maintains his posture and his sense of patience. "I thought I would enjoy this more, to face those that have wronged me, but this leaves a bitter taste in my mouth." He rises from his seat and turns his back to Korra to gaze out the window.

"Apparently quite a few of you Iron Wolves perished on the battlefield today. Your habit of marking your armor with paint makes you quite easy to identify. While I wanted a greater role in delivering justice to each of you, I suppose the spirits have delivered your comeuppance in their own way."

"Let me repeat that you should go fuck yourself."

"You'll be executed tomorrow morning. I would have you killed now, but the customs of the city allow the condemned one more view of sunrise beforehand. Even I must abide."

Korra's insides freeze, but her cheeks burn in affront that Hiroshi doesn't even have the decency to look her in the eye. She spits on his rug. She can mourn her comrades another time. Now she's filled with a need to spite Hiroshi in any petty way she can. He turns to her with lips pursed as if sucking on something unpleasant and nods at the guards. They lift Korra up and take her out of the room twisting and kicking. They descend into a cellar and toss Korra into a barred enclosure normally used to secure valuable goods. The guards slam the iron bars of the door close. Korra has half a mind to scream obscenities about their parentage at them, but instead turns to the ropes at her wrists. She scans the cell for any rough or sharp edge.

 

Asami raps at the door to her father's office.

"Enter." Asami steps in as Hiroshi picks up the chair Korra knocked down as she was taken away.

Asami tucks her skirt beneath her as she takes a seat. "Quite the commotion. I heard parts all the way down the hall."

Hiroshi settles back into the leather chair behind his desk. "Yes, most unseemly. Shall I send for some tea?"

"No, thank you. What happened?"

Hiroshi takes in the sight of his daughter and clears his throat. "I was dealing with one of those Iron Wolves as they like to call themselves. Many have already been killed in battle today, but there should be a few more to deal with until we can put this unpleasantness behind us."

"I heard you put out a hefty bounty for them dead or alive."

"Yes, a few of the soldiers needed convincing to escort her from the prison camp, but such is the cost of business. We can't very well have any of them becoming part of a prisoner exchange."

"So you'll take things into your own hands and kill them all in secret?"

Hiroshi draws in a deep breath and sighs. "Asami, you'll learn of the world in time. They're barbarians who know nothing except pillaging the coasts and burning any bits of civilization they find. Bad enough we allow them to serve in the United Forces. I've pleaded with the Council to purge any Water Tribesmen, but I've made no progress because of that snake Tarlokk. He and his fifth column will betray Republic City at the first sign of weakness. But no matter, the Earth Kingdom mercenary army will arrive in a matter of days and push the invaders from their footholds in the city."

Asami's hands tighten on the fabric of her skirt. "War is one thing, but how can you execute a prisoner who's surrendered?"

"Asami, for your own good, think no more of this matter. The prisoner and any others of her band we find will be executed, and that is final."

"What they did to our home was inexcusable, but we can't answer that with murder." Asami's voice rises, but she's cut off as Hiroshi slams his fist onto his desk.

"I've said that is final."

Asami jumps in her seat and stares at her father. His familiar face appears twisted and dark, but then his eyes soften. "Please, Asami."

Asami slowly nods and rises from her seat. She makes her way to her office and now temporary bedroom and opens the window to the ocean. The breeze brushes across her face.

 

Korra ears perk up at the creak of a door followed by the echo of steps bouncing off the cellar floor. She stops fussing at her restraints. Her heart stops for a beat when Asami enters into her vision.

"I thought I heard a woman arguing with my father, but I couldn't be sure it was you."

Korra sighs. "Hey. I guess when you least expect, there are things that come back and hit you in the face. It's a little late for me to apologize to you again."

"My father told me about his plans for you. Do you have any regrets?"

"I wish hadn't been captured." Korra manages a smile, but Asami doesn't share the amusement. "Do I have any regrets about any of this? My father used to tell me that I was spirit blessed like Aang, that the skies burned with cold fire the night I was born. He liked to humor me, but I had myself destined for greatness. When I received the call to fight in the United Republic, I thought about playing the part in my own heroic epic. When Kurin marked my armor, I felt that this was how things are supposed to be... But I also think about my friends' deaths, and what those I've killed have left behind, the future memories that have been abandoned. So, yeah, I have regrets."

"Why did you go out of your way to make me feel comfortable when you were guarding me?"

"I was bored and wanted a conversation partner."

"No, I don't think that's what happened. Tell me the truth. What else do you have to lose?"

Korra's mouth goes dry. _Not as if there's a good chance I'll be alive long enough to regret the honesty._ "Because I believe everyone has to live with some honor and decency, and that doesn't include kidnapping civilians."

"Any last requests?"

"That you find some peace. For me, a burial at sea would be nice. Even if my body is extinguished here, the currents will bring my soul back home. If that's not possible, a funeral pyre should enough to carry my last words to my family on the winds."

Asami produces a jangling set of keys which she uses to unlock the door. She also pulls out a knife strapped to her thigh underneath her skirt. Korra swallows and flexes against the ropes pinning her arms behind her back. Her eyes skim across the enclosed space. _At least this is a more appropriate way to meet my end than kneeling on the executioner's stand._

"Stand still for a moment while I cut the ropes."

The bottom drops out of Korra's stomach but in a freeing sense as her life that had converged to this moment has been thrown wide open again. She still flinches when Asami grabs her forearm and her skin pricks up in anticipation of the killing blow's pierce.  
When the ropes are cut through, Korra brings her arms in front of her and stretches the feeling back into them.

Asami grabs hold of Korra's hand and leads her out of the cell. The sound of their footfalls boom like warning drums to Korra's ears, but no one comes to investigate. Asami cracks open the cellar door and peaks into the hallway. Asami pulls on Korra's hand, and they're sneaking past through the entrance way, and they're out the door into the foggy Republic City night. They duck into an alleyway as a citizens' watch passes through with raised lanterns. The evening mist clings to Korra's exposed skin and she grows aware of the increasing warmth of their clasped hands. Seeing the path clear again, Asami pulls Korra to the docks and a waiting dinghy. They board and set out into the choppy waves. 


	6. The Close

The boat docks at Air Temple Island. Korra and Asami disembark onto the pier and notice a lantern in the darkness swinging in stride with an approaching figure. A stern voice inquires, "Who's there? ... Korra?!"

"Tenzin!"

She runs over and embraces the Air Nomad who returns the gesture. "And Miss Sato, as well? Anyways, please, come with me inside. We have much to discuss but it can be out of this cold."

Tenzin holds the lantern high and leads the way across the grounds. Korra sneaks glances at Asami, but her face remains inscrutable. They arrive at the temple complex, and Tenzin slides open a door. The interior's warmness welcomes the group. He gestures to a sitting room. "I'll be back with some tea."

Korra sits cross legged on the floor and props her elbows on a low table while rubbing her eyes. Asami takes a seat next to her. Korra looks over. "Now it’s my turn for the questions. Why'd you save me?"  
  
Asami chews on her lips. "It's like you said right? You have to live with some honor in life. I haven't forgiven you for everything you've done, but I couldn't just let my father murder a helpless prisoner."

"Well, thank you. I literally owe you my life. What will you do now?"

Asami reclines back. "You know, I didn't think that far ahead, which isn't usual for me. I imagine I'll return to the trading house in the morning, and try to sort all of this out with my father and see where we stand. What about you? Will, will you rejoin the war?"

Korra lowers her eyes to the table and traces out a pattern with her thumb. "No. I don't think I will. I keep thinking about the battle, and how close I was to death every second my concentration lapsed. I trained for war my entire life, but I don't think I want to return there. I guess I'll have to answer to the Iron Wolves in the afterlife, but I think they'll understand." Asami reaches over to place her hand on Korra's. The two women sit in silence for the few moments of calmness afforded to them.

 

Tenzin returns with a tray laden with a kettle, cups, and sweet buns. He settles down beside the table with a flourish of his orange robes and pours out the tea. Asami grips the hot cup and breathes in the aroma. She blows gently and takes a quick sip. The almost scalding drink reassures her after racing through the chilling streets and enduring the ocean winds.

Tenzin clears his throat. "Korra, I've been in contact with your father." Asami almost drops her cup. _Tenzin communicating with the Water Tribes? Well, he was negotiating for a peace, but still._ Korra almost chokes on a sweet bun, and Tenzin pats her lightly on the back.

"How is he?!"

"He's alright." Korra buries her head in her hands, but Asami sees the grin breaking out across her face. Tenzin continues, "As you may have seen, my brother held off the invasion fleet, but Tonraq is safe. He sent me a message earlier this afternoon asking for any information about your whereabouts. The Southern Water Tribe took horrific losses at the Southwest gates, though they managed to retake the outer walls later in the day."

_Wait, Tonraq. I've heard that name before, but where?_ "Tonraq, as in Chief Tonraq of the entire Southern Water Tribe?!"

"Yes? I would have told you, except letting anyone from the United Republic know I'm an heir to the throne, so to speak, would have painted a giant target on my back."

Asami places her cup on the table before she really does drop it. _Oh, shit, I've freed a member of the Water Tribe royalty. I could face treason charges for this if anyone finds out Korra's true identity._

"Yes, and news of Unalaq's stunt in placing the Iron Wolves on the front lines has made its way through the Southern Water Tribe. Along with rumors of your death, half the Southern army is threatening to sail back home in revolt as it believes Unalaq has orchestrated to eliminate his brother's heir. The other half looks to raze Republic City to the ground in revenge. As it stands, your father has landed the remainder of the joint fleet and marched to the Southwest gates. He plans to continue the war by pressing the attack after sunrise tomorrow. When the United Forces' attention is drawn away, the Northern Water Tribe will make their move."  
  
One phrase rises to the top of Asami's mind as the ground collapses beneath her legs: _Fuck me._ She grips the tea cup hoping the sensation of the heat will still her trembling hands.

"I have to make it back the front lines."

Asami finds her voice. "You just said that you were done with this war. I didn't save your life so you could help destroy Republic City!"

"That, that was a moment of weakness! This is my father! I can't sit around doing nothing while he fights."

"Tenzin, say something. You're a citizen of the United Republic."

"Please, calm yourselves. Korra, I can offer you sanctuary here, and I strongly advise that you stay, but I cannot force you."

"I'm going."

The urge to scream boils over within Asami. _Thanks, Tenzin. Why did I free her in the first place? ...Because it was the right thing to do._ Asami draws a deep breath.

"Korra, please. I'm begging you. What do you hope to accomplish by stepping back onto the battlefield? Even if you claimed victory, a mercenary force will be here soon to retake the city."

Korra hands form into fists, and her fingernails dig into her palms. "Sometimes, it’s not about what can be accomplished, but fighting on against all the odds."

"But why? Why fight this battle in the first place?

"I don't have a choice. Being a Water Tribe warrior is as much a part of me as my name and the same goes for my father."

Tenzin intones, "There's always a choice, Korra."

"Yes! You chose to treat me kindly even when I was powerless as your captive. I chose to save you even after the actions of your crew."

"I don't want to end anymore lives, but how could I live with myself if I never see my father again?"

"Then it is your burden to find some other way that is true to yourself, just as my father chose to show mercy to Fire Lord Ozai."

Korra looks at Tenzin for some time and then walks out the door. Asami follows after her, turning to bow to Tenzin. "Thank you for your hospitality."

"Of course. Let me know what she decides."

Asami finds Korra sitting on a railing staring out into the harbor. The moon bathes the dark waters in a shimmering glow. Asami stands next to her and brushes up against her shoulder. The lapping waves mark the countdown to the rising sun. _Or maybe we could continue watching the waves breaking onto shore all night and let that other world resolve itself while we stay here._

"I'll return to the Southwest gates. If people are risking their lives thinking they're avenging me, I owe them enough to return. But I won't fight. I'll convince my father and the rest of the Southern Water Tribe to sail home. Without us, Unalaq won't have the soldiers to hold his siege. He'll have to sue for peace."

"I'm going with you."

 

Korra and Asami stand on the pier alongside Tenzin. A ship bearing United Forces insignia pulls into the dock and Korra's breath hitches.

"You can trust my brother to safely take you as close to the Southwest gates as possible."

The ship groans as the hull nudges against the pier and the wild bearded captain hops onto the pier. He slaps Tenzin across the back. "How's it going brother? You're lucky I was awake when your messenger bird arrived. I happened to be chest deep in my story about the time I faced off against a platypus bear with only an unsharpened spoon. So who are our passengers today?"

Tenzin grunts. "This is Korra and Asami Sato. Meet my brother, Bumi."

Bumi rubs at his chin in mock fascination. "Tonraq and Senna's kid then, and everyone knows the Sato family. I'm delighted to have you aboard, but let's get going. Moonlight's burning."

Korra hugs Tenzin. "Thank you. And come back down South to visit when this is all over." She nods to Asami, and they step aboard.

The few crew members scurry across the narrow deck busying themselves with the lines and sails. Korra and Asami sit with their backs against the main cabin and look out over the port side. The ship skims across Yue Bay steering by moonlight through the half submerged wrecks. Bumi steps beside the pair. "It was a hard fought battle. Could have gone either way."

Asami observes, "I guess I find it strange that you're helping Korra after fighting for Republic City."

Bumi scratches at his beard. "I grew up in the South. Now that doesn't mean I wanted to turn in my pea coat and side with Unalaq and Tonraq. Just that I'm willing to work outside the box to find an end to the war."

Korra asks, "What were you thinking when you faced off against my father?"

"Tonraq and I are acquaintances from way back, but I wouldn't say he's the closest friend I've had to fight. Hah, I could tell you plenty of stories about barroom brawls concerning that." Bumi barks a laugh, but his face settles to a frown. "I still gave it my all because I like living and so do my men. I hope he did the same. You two should get some rest. It'll be a little while before we can land clear of any Water Tribe positions."

Korra stares at Bumi's back as he walks back toward the ship's wheel. A crew member brings over wool blankets. The two drift to sleep from the rocking of the waves.

 

Riding the morning high tide, Bumi directs the ship crashing right onto the sandy beach. The crew lowers the plank and Korra and Asami disembark. Bumi reappears from below deck with two ostrich horses. "These are my two finest steeds. Bring them back in one piece, will you?"

Asami steps forward to shake his hand. "We will. Thank you for your help."

"Anything for two lovely ladies." He turns back to the crew. "Alright, lads, this boat isn't going to push itself free."

The two women saddle the ostrich horses as the morning light begins burning through the morning fog blanketing the forest floor. They gallop along the boot marked trail of the Water Tribes as the bird chirps grow incessantly louder. The endless expanse of trees seems to hold them in stasis as the minutes stretch on. Korra curses to herself. Asami grips her reins tighter. They break free onto the plains as dawn fully breaks, and the rising campfire smoke appears like an oasis in the desert. Approaching the stone walls, they strain to hear the sounds of battle. The quiet gives them hope.  
  
They pass through the battered gateway and slow to a trot among soldiers hurrying into battle formations in the shadow of the walls. Korra dismounts and shoves her way through the crowds with Asami following close behind. They burst into a tent set in the center of the camp. Tonraq looks up from his battle plans.

"Korra! I was so worried. What happened?"

"I know, Dad, but I'll have to catch you up later. How soon until the battle starts?"

"The United Forces haven't taken the field yet. I was about to survey our lines."

"Then we still have time! We can still call off the battle and start up the negotiations again."

Tonraq's eyebrows knit together. "Korra, as much as I wish for that, the tribe has always been more of an unruly mob than an army. And my brother would never allow a peace at this point."

Asami speaks up. "But you have to try! We've spoken with Tenzin and Bumi. Neither of them wants to continue this fight. I've been living in Republic City, and the people are shut in their homes hoping for a peaceful conclusion as well."

Tonraq looks at this stranger, but Korra grabs his attention. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes, of course-"

"Then trust me on this."

Tonraq nods. News of Korra's appearance has snaked its way through the army, and the warriors bang their weapons against their shields in a chorus of cheers when Korra and Asami emerge from the tent. Korra finds her ostrich horse, and Asami tosses her a Water Tribe banner. Korra gallops to the head of the formation and as she raises the banner into the air, the chants grow into a bloodcurdling roar. As the noise rolls on and on, Korra finds Asami watching on from the crowd.

"Brother and Sisters in arms! Comrades! Water Tribe warriors! Hear me! I fought and bled on this same ground yesterday. I saw my Iron Wolves cut down in front of me by United Forces soldiers. I was captured, but stand before you now." Another round of shield rattling rises up.

"I did not arrive here through my own power, however. A Republic City citizen risked her life to help me escape. From that act of mercy, I approach you all this morning with a message of reconciliation. We have already witnessed our people fallen in this campaign. By continuing the fight today, more parents, spouses, and children will grieve for their loved ones buried in a foreign land. Who is our enemy on this day?"

The sun's rays pierce the battlefield, and they appear to wreathe rings of fire around Korra's form. Korra's eyes stare down the mob with an otherworldly glow. The ground trembles with each of her steed's steps, and her voice thunders across the field. Her banner flutters wildly in the wind.  
  
"Our people fought alongside Air Nomad Aang. Together we ended the Hundred Year War and established the United Republic whose ground we are preparing to drown in blood. Why are we risking everything we hold dear to make war against what Water Tribesmen of the North, South, and Republic City have built? Let us carry on the legacy of Aang and his generation by laying down our arms and walking away from this battle! Who will join me in building an era of peace?"

The warriors are momentarily struck silent and breathless by this epiphany, but as one they toss down their weapons in voice of their war weariness. The battle lines spill out disordered crowds unfit for battle. Tonraq sends out a rider bearing a white flag to Republic City. Korra's visage returns to normal, and Asami questions whether the morning light has been playing tricks. Either way, Korra finds Asami in the aftermath, and they embrace in victory.

 

Epilogue

"So what will you do now?"

"My father is staying behind to continue negotiations. For the rest of us, the plan is for smooth sailing until we arrive back South. My father won't be contesting Desna and Eska's claim to the Northern Water Tribes after they exiled my uncle. And you?"

"Well, my father hasn't forgiven me yet, and I haven't forgiven him either. I'll hold onto my jade necklace, but I think I can use the rest of my jewelry as collateral to finance my own trading ship. Maybe travel to the Fire Nation and see more of the world."

"Well, if you're ever near the South Pole..."

"I'll be sure to stop by."

"I would like that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writers ask their audience to do work when they put their stories out to be read. I deeply appreciate your choice to spend your time with me in this alternate universe. I hope my writing skills made your efforts worthwhile. 
> 
> Additional notes:  
> I thought the role the Water Tribes played in the series didn't sync up with their population being solely by an arctic environment, so I wanted to play around in an AU that gave them a broader geographic reach. The Viking/Medieval influence unfortunately pushed me to remove bending and give Asami a new profession.
> 
> I hope the title now makes sense, as each of the first three chapters are paralleled in Chapters 4-6 with portions of Korra and Asami's roles reversed. And while I originally set out to write a Korra and Asami story, they still have conflicts to sort out to before continuing to develop their friendship, though I doubt I will revisit this universe to write it.
> 
> Thanks again for reading.


End file.
